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Archived News:
On the heels of the new demo, Lords
of EverQuest Goes Gold is the press release announcing that Sony Online
Entertainment's real-time strategy game based on the EverQuest universe is now
complete. Here's a bit on the game, which is expected in U.S. and Canadian
stores on December 1: Inspired by the world of online gaming phenomenon
EverQuest, Lords of EverQuest features an enthralling storyline drawing gamers
to the land of Antonica as they control one of 15 Lords and manage massive
armies in their quest for domination. Lords of EverQuest will set new standards
for the RTS genre with hundreds of items, spells, the ability for all units in
the game to gain experience and abilities, and online multiplayer options
(Internet connection required for online multiplayer game modes, online
connection fees are the responsibility of the user) for up to 12 players per
game via Sony Online's forthcoming SOEGames.net service.
As promised ( story) , the single player demo for Lords of
EverQuest is now available, providing a solo sample of the RTS EQ game to follow
the trio of demos showing off the game's multiplayer play. The demo is a 197 MB
download, available from 3D
Downloads, 3D Gamers,
Boomtown
(registration required), Gamer's
Hell, GameSpot
DLX (registration required), Happy
Puppy (registration required), IGN,
Pixelrage.ro,
and Worthplaying.
A trio of shipping announcements:
- Disciples II
Disciples
II Rise of the Elves Ships announces the availability of this
stand-alone expansion for Disciples II: "Disciples II: Rise of the
Elves is a milestone in the Disciples universe. For the first time,
Disciples fans will be able to play as the elder Elven race as they struggle
to reclaim their forests from the four primary forces in Nevendaar. Driven
by an unpredictable god who urges them to battle, the Elves begin a massive
march towards their fate."
- Victoria
Victoria
–An Empire Under the Sun Ships to North American retailers has word on
the latest strategy game using the Europa Universalis engine: "In
Victoria – An Empire Under the Sun your ultimate goal is to become one of
the eight great powers of the era. To achieve this goal you must master the
art of Diplomacy, Warfare, Economy & Industrialization, Colonization,
Technological Research and Politics. Achieve global supremacy, by spanning
the globe to become the dominant empire of the period and recreate history
as you wish. While striving to simulate the conditions and prerequisites of
the time period, Victoria - An Empire Under the Sun still leaves all the
decision-making to the individual player."
- Mysterious Journey II
The
Adventure Company Ships Mysterious Journey II for PC-CD has news that
the adventure game sequel has shipped: "The story is set in a beautiful
world where gamers are led to believe that they are the sole survivor of a
terrible war. Taking on the role of Sen, they learn that they are
responsible for a terrible crime, 200 years before, and that their
civilization is barely alive. Sen must use chameleon-like powers to
impersonate rival factions and discover what really happened all those years
ago, and help bring hostilities to a truly surprising conclusion…"
The official announcement of Galactic
Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy is online (thanks Worthplaying),
offering details on a planned commercial add-on for Stardock's space game
remake. The expansion will require the original game to play, and is slated to
be available in February 2004. Included will be several pre-generated maps and
map and scenario editors, as well as a solo campaign, described here: The
"Altarian Prophecy" is a campaign that takes the player on a
multi-game journey to solve the mystery alluded to in Galactic Civilizations. In
doing so, it introduces two new civilizations: The Dominion of the Korx and the
Drath. These two civilizations hold the secret to Altaria's past, but worse,
they know the Altarian Prophecy that for tells the destruction of the galaxy
that is connected to Altaria's past.
A new bonus map for Railroad Tycoon 3 is now available, the Pacific Coastal map
features railroad operations up and down the U.S. west coast from San Diego to
Seattle. The 3.3 MB download is available from Take
2 Games and mirrored on 3D
Gamers, GameCenter.cz,
and GameSpot
DLX (registration required).
The DEactivation
Website (thanks Frans) is online, offering first details on this upcoming 3D
tactical strategy/action game in the works at Step Creative Group that lists a
release date of 4Q 2003. Here's a bit: Players will control one of the
antiterrorist units of droids that neutralize the acts of terrorism. For every
mission there's a set number of droids. Terminate the shot firing system,
destroy the hostile robots and set the hostages free! The missions are held in
distinct types of building that differ one from another in the number of floors
and rooms.
A successfully fulfilled mission gives a player a
number of points. This number depends on several factors: the time of the
mission fulfillment, the amount of the droids in your unit left etc. With these
points a player can buy new droids or modernize them. The purpose of the game is
to stop 13 acts of terrorism and to mine the scientific research center of the
terrorists.
Boomtown's
Battlefield Vietnam Q&A is an article-format conversation with A.J.
Marini, designer on the upcoming Vietnam War follow-up to BF1942. Topics include
the new gameplay modes, comparisons with the EoD mod,
anti-cheat support, bringing the BF1942 voting system out of the eighteenth
century, and more.
Vivendi Universal Games sends word that Simpsons Hit & Run for the PC has
hit store shelves. Here's the news: Dust the donut crumbs off the
keyboard, it’s time to take Homer and the gang for an adventure through
Springfield in the PC game Computer Gaming World magazine named “Editor’s
Choice.” The Simpsons Hit & Run™ is now available for PC at retail
stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $29.99. Developed in
collaboration with Gracie Films and series creator Matt Groening, The Simpsons
Hit & Run is a “must-have” for the holiday gift lists.
Developed by Radical Entertainment and licensed by Twentieth Century Fox
Licensing and Merchandising, The Simpsons Hit & Run is a hilarious
mission-based driving game featuring the signature humor of The Simpsons set in
the interactive world of Springfield U.S.A., featuring such locations as the
Kwik-E-Mart, the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and Moe’s Tavern.
Players will be challenged to explore more than 50 driving and on-foot missions
as one of five playable characters - Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa, and Apu.
The Simpsons Hit & Run also features 49 hidden collector cards containing
episode-specific bonus material from the many seasons of the television show as
well as loads of in-game animated gags and jokes, giving fans of The Simpsons
all of the humor and wit of Springfield and its citizens.
The Simpsons Hit & Run is available on all console platforms for a suggested
retail price of $49.99 and now on the PC for the suggested retail price of
$29.99 with an ESRB “Teen” rating. For more information, log on to www.thesimpsons-hitandrun.com.
JonoF's Games Site
offers downloads of JonoF's Duke Nukem 3D port, a Windows version of the
Build-engine shooter, for which the source code is publicly available. In
addition to support play on under Windows, the port also offers preliminary
internet multiplayer support via UDP. Thanks Alex Baddiley.
Pregaming's
Max Payne 2 Walkthrough Gameguide is now online, offering chapter-by-chapter
guidance on making your way through Remedy's third-person shooter sequel. Also, Shrapnel
Games now offers a guide to modifying Space Empires: StarFury.
GNS Project's Hostile Intent
Half-Life Q&A talks with a couple of the folks behind the Hostile
Intent modification for Half-Life, discussing how the project is nearing
release after a lengthy development cycle after startling out under the name
"The Sherman Project."
What a bummer... yesterday MrsBlue and I noticed that the incident I described
from last week where the gale-force winds knocked the cap off of our chimney was
not as harmless as first thought. It turns out that this thing clipped the
A-pillar on our truck pretty damn hard, leaving a dent, and a gouge straight
through to the sheet metal. This is about as nasty a bit of damage that you
would ever imagine not noticing at first, but it is directly in front of the
rear-view mirror, so while it's quite apparent from one angle, there are many
angles from which it is completely obscured. Unfortunately, the level to which
this cannot be detected is not extreme enough to consider trying to skip on
getting it repaired. Oh well.
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